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ROME — Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, currently in Rome for a series of meetings with Vatican officials, spoke yesterday with CNS about the church’s ongoing dispute with the Obama administration over the HHS contraception mandate.

The immediate past president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops had some insightful observations about what is at stake, and how the dispute could play out in the courts and the political arena.

3 Responses

Cardinal George succinctly states the Constitutional issue. I’m one, however, who believes that the matter should be “taken to Obama” very forcefully and directly. The Catholic (the entire Christian) base must be mobilized against the present regime.

Thank you Cardinal for your views, but I disagree with your assessment that the right at issue is “Freedom of Religion”. The wording is “free exercise”. You must not ever let the same people putting us in a box control the language! Religious beliefs do not end at the church door. They invigorate every waking hour, from work to play to everything we do. Why would any of us settle for this tawdry attempt to curtail a very bold, big and broad right because the a spoiled arrogant brat has managed to dupe ignorant people into letting him keep his job for four more years?

It is almost impossible for me as a Catholic to understand why the very people charged with leading the fight here aren’t willing or able to fight at all. Stop playing nice. And, if you cannot handle it, let us handle it. Even Jesus Christ threw the moneychangers out of the temple. We need to do the same thing with nefarious politicians. Sic Semper Tyrannis!

Cardinal George hits the nail on the head, though not in the way he thought. Since the Church and Church-related institutions do not have to contract for or supply insurance covering contraceptives, he won’t be contracting for contraceptives. Quite simple.